Victron Smart BMS 12/200 - Battery Management System for Lithium Batteries
Victron Battery Management System 12/200: BMS for Lithium Ion Smart Batteries
The Smart BMS 12/200 is a complete battery management system for Victron's intelligent lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO4). It was specially developed for 12 V systems with a 12 V alternator, e.g. for vehicles and boats.
It combines a current limiter, a battery combiner and battery protection in a robust and compact solution and enables the safe connection of 12 V alternators (and starter batteries), loads and chargers to Smart Lithium batteries of any size.
The Smart BMS 12/200 monitors and protects each individual battery cell within the battery (or battery bank) and disconnects the alternator, charging sources or DC loads in the event of low battery cell voltage, high battery cell voltage or overheating.
The dedicated alternator connection enables current limitation and one-way traffic from the alternator to the battery, so that any alternator size (and starter battery) can be safely connected to the Smart Lithium battery (or battery bank) and the starter battery is protected from excessive discharge.
The BMS is equipped with Bluetooth for monitoring and configuration; a remote on/off port to switch off the BMS (and the system) via a remote switch; as well as a pre-alarm contact to provide a warning signal before the BMS disconnects the batteries from the system.
Alternator and Battery Protection
The input current is electronically limited to approx. 90% of the fuse value. A 100 A fuse, for example, therefore limits the input current to approx. 90 A.
The choice of the correct fuse will:
- a. Protect the LFP battery from excessive charging current (important for a low-capacity LFP battery).
- b. Protect the alternator from overload in the event of a high-capacity LFP battery bank (most 12V alternators overheat and fail if they run at maximum power for longer than 5 minutes).
Load/Battery Charger Output/Input (SYSTEM+ power socket)
The LFP battery can be charged or discharged via this power socket (i.e. via a charger, inverter or inverter/charger) with a maximum continuous current of 200 A in both directions.
Can also be used as a load output, so that DC loads can be connected directly to this connection. The connection is short-circuit proof with a peak discharge current of 400 A. The Smart BMS ensures that battery discharge is switched off if cell undervoltage is imminent.
The Smart BMS allows charging via this connection, but no charging algorithm can be applied internally..
Starter Battery Protection
This function is similar to that of a Cyrix battery combiner or Argo-FET battery isolator. Current can only flow to the LFP battery if the input voltage (= voltage at the starter battery) exceeds 13 V. And no current can flow back from the LFP battery to the starter battery, thus preventing possible damage to the LFP battery due to excessive discharge.
Remote On/Off Input
The remote on/off input controls the charging process via the alternator. When switched off, charging via the alternator is deactivated, while the BMS functionality remains active, so that all loads and chargers can continue to operate independently of the state of the remote input. If the "System On/Off Switch" is activated via VictronConnect, the BMS functionality is also deactivated. It consists of two terminals: Remote L and Remote H. A remote on/off switch or a relay contact can be connected between H and L. Alternatively, terminal H can be switched to battery positive or terminal L to battery negative.